FRIED. The Burnout Podcast

Did you know that the items you choose to surround yourself with have a direct impact on your happiness AND your productivity? Sure, you may naturally feel more content when wrapped up in a cozy blanket or holding your favorite mug. But, did you know that the items you find most comforting and beautiful produce visible changes in your brain?   On this week’s #straightfromcait episode, I share findings from three neuroscience studies showing the power of visually appealing objects to shape our brain. Learn about the changes in our brain that occur when we are under large amounts of stress and how we can use our environment to counteract these negative outcomes in a meaningful way.   If you have an everyday object that you find particularly beautiful or that adds to your sense of contentment when you are in a given space, I’d love to hear from you. Join our FRIED. The Burnout Podcast Facebook Group if you haven’t already and share with us! We’re all in this together – let’s give ourselves the best possible chance of a full burnout recovery.   Quotes • “When you experience something that is beautiful to you, it makes you feel like you just got a treat, and it makes it easier to make decisions that are based on what you actually want from life.” (3:44-3:53) • “Your brain becomes more sensitive to threat the longer you experience stress, which means that you might be interpreting threat when there is none.” (4:46-4:57) • “I want you to take a look at your workspace and ask yourself if there is anything you can do to make the lines around you softer.” (8:25-8:30) • “Absorb this idea that you can utilize your environment to help shape your brain and to give yourself the best possible chance of full burnout recovery.” (10:38-10:50)   References Bar, Moshe, and Maital Neta. “Visual Elements of Subjective Preference Modulate Amygdala Activation.” Neuropsychologia, vol. 45, no. 10, 2007, pp. 2191-2200. 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.03.008. Gourley, Shannon L., et al. “The Medial Orbitofrontal Cortex Regulates Sensitivity to Outcome Value.” Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 36, no. 16, 2016, pp. 4600-4613. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4253-15.2016. Ishizu, Tomohiru, and Semir Zeki. “Toward A Brain-Based Theory of Beauty.” PLOS One, 2011, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0021852.   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I do not think it serves most humans to have a stigmatizing label,” says Diann Wingert, therapist turned Mindset and Productivity Coach. “I think once the label becomes your identity, it is a trap, and it will be your destination.” In her work as a coach, Diann has found the label of “Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria” particularly harmful, as it implies that extreme reactions to rejection, criticism and exclusion are in some way pathological. Instead of viewing RSD as a pathology, Diann instead helps her coaching clients adopt the mindset changes and resilience skills necessary to overcome rejection and move forward with confidence.   Diann tells listeners that rejection sensitivity played a key role in her own burnout experience. As a licensed therapist, she often found herself shaping the work she did with clients so that they would like her, as opposed to initiating the tough conversations that would propel them towards true growth and change. As a result, she began to resent her clients, along with just about everyone else in her life. It wasn’t until she closed her practice (and sold every last piece of furniture in the office!) that Diann was able to forge a new path for herself and establish the professional and personal boundaries necessary to end her burnout for good.   Tune into this week’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Diann Wingert about coping with rejection. Learn about the dangers of pathologizing a normal human experience, why identifying resentments is a crucial step towards overcoming burnout, and how mindset changes can make a world of difference when it comes to silencing your inner shitty committee.   Quotes • “I was seeing up to ten people a day, five days a week...and after five years of that, I realized that I was becoming impatient with my clients, I was tired of listening to stories that I thought were redundant and repetitive, and I literally wanted to stand up and say, ‘Haven’t we been talking about this long enough? Don’t you want to get on with it?’ And I thought, you can’t do this anymore. You are no good to anybody, including yourself.” (3:50-4:18) • “The emotion that I wasn’t paying attention to and the one that ultimately propelled me out the door was resentment.” (5:05-5:14) • “I didn’t want to be rejected by my clients. I was taking responsibility for their results, so I was shaping the work I did with them according to what I thought they could tolerate...because if I pushed them beyond what they could tolerate, they would be uncomfortable, they wouldn’t like me, and they’d leave, and I couldn’t help them anymore.” (11:20-11:45) • “I do not think it serves most humans to have a stigmatizing label, and what I often find is that many people claim it, cling to it, and embrace it as an identity because it explains things, but it also can provide a place of safety and acceptance with others who also claim that identity. And while I think it’s very important to say, ‘This is my felt experience, this is my reality,’ I think once it becomes your identity, it is a trap and it will be your destination.” (24:30-25:14) Links https://www.diannwingertcoaching.com/ https://www.instagram.com/coachdiannwingert/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/diannwingertcoaching/ http://bit.ly/obstaclesquiz/   The Cook's Hookup Energy Technique: https://northeasthealing.com/stress-management-tip-cooks-hook-ups-technique/    HidrateSpark Water Bottle: https://hidratespark.com/products/hidratespark-steel   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that although I received my Masters Degree in Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine back in 2007, I never received a Bachelor’s Degree? This academic path is actually quite common around the world, but definitely less so here in the states. And, of course, I happened to settle down in New Jersey, the one state in the entire country that doesn’t allow you to become licensed in or practice acupuncture without a Bachelor’s degree in addition to a Masters.   Fast forward to this summer: I am now going backwards at age 39 to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Biobehavioral Health at Penn State’s World Campus. I am loving the opportunity to throw myself back into academics and to establish connections between my background in Eastern Medicine and the concepts we’ve explored so far in my new courses.    Tune into this week’s #straightfromcait episode to learn more about my journey back into higher education as an adult. Learn about the overlaps between Biobehavioral Health and Eastern medicine, why science always has its shortcomings, and why it’s never too late to dive back into the world of academia.   If you have any questions you want answered about burnout and the science behind it, feel free to share your thoughts in our FRIED. Facebook Group. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing research articles and other relevant sources on my #straightfromcait episodes, plus I’m always on the lookout for a good research paper topic!    Quotes • “So, I decided at the age of 39 that I’m going to go backwards and get a degree that is lesser than the one I have to be able to practice a medicine that I’ve been at for a decade and a half. I told you, it’s a little convoluted, but here we are.” (3:00-3:20) • “Biobehavioral health is like the Western version of Eastern medicine. It’s the Western medicine’s ideal of creating a more holistic system.” (4:16-4:26) • “I both love science and remain a science skeptic….Science is incomplete and will always be – that’s part of its definition. It’s a beautiful, powerful thing that we have to remember is here to help us explore and to learn and then to continue exploring and learning. Everything we learn is simply another step to getting another step to getting another step to allow us to go deeper or broader or connect things that weren’t connected before.” (5:40-6:11) • “I didn’t add a full-time degree to my life and not eliminate anything else. I had to eliminate something in order to maintain my sanity and be sure that I’m not burning out while I’m researching burnout and talking to you about burnout.” (8:08-8:22)   Links  Penn State Biobehavioral Health Bachelor’s Degree: https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-and-certificates/penn-state-online-biobehavioral-health-bachelors-degree/  FRIED. The Burnout Podcast Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/friedtheburnoutpodcast    XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I think of food as medicine. Everything you eat becomes every cell in your body, so it can be healing or it can be potentially exacerbating the issue,” says Carolyn Brown, nutritionist and co-founder of Indigo Wellness Group. Carolyn explains that when it comes to burnout recovery, food can act as a healing or a harmful force, depending on how it is used. That’s why she tends to promote simple, enjoyable additions rather than harsh, restrictive diets. When we are focusing on decreasing our stress levels, hardcore changes to our diets or exercise routines will only raise our cortisol levels even more.   Carolyn is no stranger to burnout. Her burnout story began in New York City, where she was living in a shoebox apartment and seeing over 150 clients a month one-on-one. Carolyn felt stifled in just about every aspect of her life, from her physical space to her work life to the NYC dating scene. When she finally realized how burnt out she had become, she finally made a cross-country move to Colorado, where she could find the physical and emotional space to breathe.    Tune into the kickoff episode of our 4th season of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Carolyn about the restorative power of simple changes. Learn why loving where you live is a crucial step towards mental and physical wellness, how seemingly small changes can make a world of difference in your day-to-day life, and why gentler is better for your body and your soul when it comes to nutrition.   Quotes • “I had this total a-ha moment following a full-on breakdown. I was walking through the streets of Rome hysterically crying wondering if anyone had ever been so lost in their whole life.” (4:50-5:02) • “Get the veggies that look beautiful or the plates and the mugs. That was something really important to me when I started my new, fresh life in Denver, I got rid of everything from that New York apartment. So every single mug or plate I was buying, I wanted to try to be supporting a small, woman-owned business and also have it be something I loved every single time I picked it up.” (25:42-26:06) • “Clutter ends up impacting what we eat and how we eat, too….Clutter can make us eat up to 44% more. And we’re more likely to eat the unhealthy things when we’re in an environment of clutter.” (26:41-26:55) • “I think of food as medicine. Everything you eat becomes every cell in your body, so it can be healing or it can be potentially exacerbating the issue….Just simply try to add one fermented food per day. I really think of addition when you’re feeling a little bit paralyzed, like what can we add in. This isn’t the time to say, ‘Let’s go on a sugar cleanse or anything like that.’” (37:26-37:56)  • “Make sure you’re hydrated. When we’re dehydrated, we’re just grouchier, especially women. There’s lots of research on this, that it really affects women’s decision-making, ability to focus and mood overall.” (39:08-39:20) • “Please don’t try any crazy diets or extreme eating trends while feeling really stressed or burnt out. It adds to your stress levels. We want to really be focusing on decreasing stress and many of these things, whether it’s funky eating habits, severe intermittent fasting, going keto, or doing HIIT training, doing really intense exercise, actually ends up increasing our cortisol, increasing our stress hormones, doing the opposite of what you might hope to.” (39:53-40:25)   Links Carolyn’s Website: www.indigowellnessgroup.com Carolyn’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/carolynbrownie Register for Carolyn’s Detox’ish Week: https://academy.indigowellnessgroup.com/courses/indigo-detox-ish-week-august-2021    XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jess Brennan, founder of Held Massage Therapy, specializes in grief massage and body-based healing. She discusses how grief can arise from various losses, not solely death, including life changes exacerbated by COVID. Jess highlights the critical roles of doulas in life's transitions and emphasizes the importance of grief readiness and loss literacy. She advocates for compassion in healing and shares insights on personalized mourning practices, self-care, and the power of community support during these collective challenges.

What is the difference between burnout and depression? I was recently asked this question in the FRIED. The Burnout Podcast Discussion Group on Facebook. Because I explored this topic at length in my book The Bouncebackability Factor: End Burnout, Gain Resilience, and Change the World, I decided to share a short excerpt on this week’s #straightfromcait episode.   While depression and burnout look different for everyone, my conclusion is that they may simply be two sides of the same coin. The key distinction seems to be that burnout is associated with high levels of stress, whether it’s due to work or to general life events, while depression may not have such a direct cause.    Tune into this week’s #straightfromcait episode to learn more about the overlaps and distinctions between burnout and depression and how they have manifested themselves differently in my own life. Once you have listened to the episode, I encourage you to join our Facebook discussion group (if you haven’t already!) and share your thoughts. Has depression been part of your burnout story? I look forward to hearing from you!   Quotes • “The World Health Organization calls burnout an occupational hazard, but it’s an overall wellness hazard. It literally affects everything.” (2:49-2:56) • “My view is that burnout and depression are different results with similar causes. I believe that untreated burnout can lead to depression, so burnout can be part of the road to depression, but doesn’t need to be. My feeling is that the main difference is that people that are burnt out know they are burnt out, and that it’s because of overwhelm and too much stress. With depression, it often seems unrelated to other things.” (5:45-6:13) • “In my opinion, the depression associated with burnout manifests itself in self-doubt. When burnt out, you start questioning yourself and your abilities and/or passion for your chosen path.” (7:06-7:16)   Links  https://facebook.com/groups/friedtheburnoutpodcast  https://monkeypuzzletraining.co.uk/free-downloads/MBI_self_assessment_for_organisations.pdf  bit.ly/bouncebackorder   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I don’t want to hear anything about the theoretical translation of an ancient Chinese concept translated half-assed into English translated half-assed through your Western construct of what the hell it means,” says Jade Connolly Duggan, Corporate Culture and Wellness Expert. The daughter of two acupuncturists, Jade has had the practice of acupuncture flowing through her veins practically since birth. However, she explains that most of the time finding mind-body wellness is much more about consciously conversing with your body than it is about theory or predetermined labels. While theory has its benefits, it often fails to tell the complete story.   A high-school dropout who helped the NSA communicate more effectively with the CIA and saved Pepsi’s culture-merge when purchasing Gatorade, Jade is an expert in teaching soft skills to business and community teams. After hitting and overcoming burnout multiple times in her life, Jade has made it her mission to help others reconnect with their body’s intuitive dial, so they can lead more fulfilling and attuned lives.   Tune into this week’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Jade about learning to listen to what your body is telling you. Learn why perfection is the enemy of done, why English is incredibly barren when it comes to descriptors of sensation, and why getting curious about your mind and your body is an excellent way to overcome your burnout.   Quotes • “I was single parenting my first child, I was living on my own, and I was working and commuting and not living near family support. And I remember thinking to myself, ‘If I don’t get some help soon, I’m gonna die.’ And I was in the hospital with meningitis within two weeks.” (3:16-3:36) • “It was very humbling to be an acupuncturist, to be in acupuncture school, to be in a family of acupuncturists and to have this sense of not knowing how to mitigate or navigate my burnout.” (8:16-8:30) • “I recognize that there are things that I can experience in another language that I can’t experience in English. It’s a body, right? My language invents the body I get to inhabit.” (37:00-37:12) • “How do we get these physicians who run a big portion of all of the medical schools together in their board to look at that chasm between each other and see if they can close that gap and get a little bit closer to maybe I can know a little bit more, but only if I can actually have more language around it, if I can listen a little bit closer, if I can actually get close enough to have the poetry of your existence in my own body in some way?” (42:06-42:42) • “Part of the work for me is moment by moment to go, ‘There is no right.’” (48:53-48:56) • “Is this what you’re actually experiencing or is it what you read in a book? Is it what you think you’re supposed to be experiencing? Is it a ‘should’ from somewhere else?...If I didn’t have the label of burnout, or I didn’t have the label of anger, or if I didn’t have the label of depression, or whatever it was, what’s the experience that I’m having right now and when does that experience change even just a little tiny bit?” (57:00-57:32)   Links https://www.mindbodyleadership.com/    https://www.instagram.com/nsfwleadership/ https://www.facebook.com/nsfwleadership/ https://www.mindbodyleadership.com/offers/YaoELLJB/checkout (Code: CURIOSITY)   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If I’ve learned anything from my experience with burnout, both in my own life and in my clients’ lives, it’s that burnout can present itself in endless ways. While there must be three components present in order to identify burnout (physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism and detachment, and a feeling of purposelessness), there are several other symptoms that tend to show up frequently in burnout patients.   On this week’s #straightfromcait episode, we will explore the most commonly experienced physical burnout symptoms, according to 73 health questionnaire responses. Some of the symptoms, such as headaches, neck tension, digestive upset and sleep issues, may seem obvious. However, others, such as hives, PMS symptoms and frequent urination might come as a surprise for many listeners.   As always, I would love to hear from you, too! What were your predominant symptoms while you were burnt out? Or, if you are in the midst of working through your burnout, what symptoms are you currently dealing with? Comment on any post from this week with your thoughts! And remember: no matter what your symptoms, I believe you and am here to support you in your burnout journey.   P.S. Season 3 of the podcast is coming to a close, with the last episode airing on July 18! If you would like to influence what happens on FRIED. The Burnout Podcast in upcoming seasons, join our Facebook group (linked below), so you can share your suggestions. We can’t wait to have you!   Quotes • “In order to identify burnout, according to researcher Christina Maslach, there must be at least three components present. And those components are: physical and emotional exhaustion, that’s number one; number two is cynicism and detachment; and number three is feeling purposeless, unimpactful and unaccomplished.” (4:54-5:13) • “Seventy three percent of people experiencing burnout report having neck tension, and this might explain the high headache and migraine reports. If everyone’s necks are tense, it’s logical that headaches and migraines will arise. This also tells us where we should focus should we want to help the body decrease burnout symptoms, i.e. why things like acupuncture are so useful!” (7:06-7:26) • “If a menstruating person is experiencing burnout, there’s a 78% chance that they are going to be experiencing some disruption in their menstrual cycle, some PMS, and some difficulty around their cycle.” (11:55-12:10) • “The range of symptoms you can experience are from head to toe, from physical to emotional, and everything in between.” (13:33-13:40)   Links FRIED Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/friedtheburnoutpodcast   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erica Cuni’s burnout story begins with a Mack Dump Truck, which hit her as she was on her way to work as a licensed therapist. In the ensuing months, Erica not only had to learn how to walk again after almost losing her foot, but she also lost her job, ended a long-term toxic relationship, found herself in extreme debt, and ended up living with her parents again in her mid-thirties. But this is not where Erica’s story ended. Instead, she used this stress-inducing time in her life to reevaluate her priorities, get back into her body and kick start her journey towards mental, physical and spiritual health.   Now, Erica works as a full-time burnout recovery and prevention educator, a podcast host and a Reiki practitioner. She is living her #UndeniableTruth and has made a career out of helping others do the same. According to Erica, #UndeniableTruth is what she wished she had in her life when she was falling apart and didn’t have a roadmap to help her rediscover who she was or what she needed to thrive. Now, Erica uses wisdom from her own burnout experience to guide her clients as they heal from burnout, find their truth and learn to live with intention.   Tune into this week’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast to hear more about Erica’s journey from burnout victim to Burnout Professor. Learn about the things Erica wishes she was taught in grad school, the importance of working with a trauma-informed therapist if you are in the throes of burnout and why breathwork is absolutely essential for grounding yourself and navigating stress. Most importantly, learn how Erica refused to let her burnout get the best of her and instead capitalized on her burnout to positively reshape her future.   Quotes • “Anyone that experiences burnout knows that it’s not just related to work. It affects every piece of your life.” (4:37-4:44) • “I lost myself somewhere, and I didn’t know when I lost myself. I didn’t understand because I thought I was doing everything right….I had a Master’s degree, I was helping other people figure their stuff out, I was trained in all these different types of modalities on how to help people get there, but I was like, ‘I’m still missing something!’” (8:22-8:40) • “In order for us to get success out of talk therapy, our brains have to be in a calmer state, our bodies have to be in a calm state. And so when you do the body work first...and you get someone back into the body, back into the present moment, that opens up the brain so that they can start to self-reflect because talk therapy’s all about self-reflection.” (16:00-16:20) • “When you get burnt out, it’s about learning a new lifestyle afterwards….Find something that engages your body back into the present moment, and that sends signals up to your brain that, ‘Hey, I’m back here in this world!’....because ultimately we want to have people understand that it’s safe to take risks and enjoy life. It’s safe to enjoy your life. You don’t have to stay in this stressed state where you’re afraid to do anything.” (27:16-27:55) • “If for whatever reason you don’t believe in meditation, I do believe you believe in sitting still and being in the moment and learning how to do that because you know that you feel better and calmer.” (34:50-35:00) • “Knowing my breath is what helped me get in tune with my body, so that I could listen to it so that I could make decisions that were aligned with me versus my mind trying to dictate what I was supposed to be doing.” (38:18-38:33)   Links https://www.theburnoutprofessor.com https://www.instagram.com/theburnoutprofessor  https://www.linkedin.com/theburnoutprofessor  https://www.facebook.com/theburnoutprofessor https://www.theburnoutprofessor.com/burnout-quiz   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COVID has sucked, there’s no question about it. But at the same time, the pandemic has given us an unexpected excuse with which to better uphold our boundaries. Now that COVID regulations are loosening, this automatically acceptable justification is beginning to disappear. So, how do you uphold your boundaries even after social distancing and mask mandates are lifted?   The key is getting honest with yourself about your values. I recommend first completing my Living According to Your Core Values worksheet (which is free on my website and linked below!). This will help you identify the values that are most fundamental in your daily life. Then, I suggest creating action statements around each of these values. For example, if a value of yours is family, an action statement might be “Eat dinner together as a family 5 nights a week with no phones.”   Not only will this exercise allow you to better incorporate your values into your day-to-day life, but it will also allow you to uphold your boundaries in a clear, kind and concise way. When it comes to boundaries, it’s important to avoid white lies, passive aggression and wiggle room. By integrating your values into your life in a tangible way, you can honestly and efficiently express your boundaries to others.   Like anything, boundary building takes practice. If you need a little support along the way, I’ll be watching the hashtag #buildbetterboundaries all week to help clear up your boundary statements (if you’re brave enough to write some!) and make sure there are no thorns, no lies and no wiggle room!   This is one of the most important skills you need to recover from burnout and prevent it in the future. You’ve got this!   Quotes • “So, how do you keep the pieces of the pandemic that really worked for you and still have space for adding some community time, friendship time and extended family time to your calendar?...You start by getting really honest about your values.” (2:44-3:01) • “When you are able, with clarity, to define your values, your decision making process becomes easier and then the language you use to build boundaries becomes clearer and it becomes easier for you to say, easier for you to share and easier for other people to accept and just move on from.” (3:29-3:50) • “When boundaries are well-stated, they are clear, kind and concise...When boundaries are well-stated, they avoid lies, thorns and wiggle room.” (7:30-7:47) • “The more you practice...making sure your boundaries are clear, kind and concise, the easier it becomes because you realize that it actually improves all of your relationships. No one’s wondering if they’re putting you out because you’re not letting anybody put you out. You’re not worrying if somebody’s pushing you too far because you don’t let people push you too far. The boundaries that you create speaking this way will make all of your relationships better if you give it enough time.” (10:41-11:13)   Links https://caitdonovan.com/freebie-values   XOXO, C   If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait   Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices